Job Description

Statement of Duties

The position is responsible for assisting the Treasurer/Collector with the collection, custody, and control of city funds by providing skilled administrative, technical, bookkeeping and clerical work. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Supervises the billing, collection and reporting of all committed revenue, including daily operation of the office, overseeing all functions and providing guidance to staff, daily proofs and reconciles staff work.
• Supervises the issuance of all Municipal Lien Certificates and Certificates of Good Standing and monitors for timeliness of completion of documents.
• Supervises staff contact with the public on collection related issues. Provides assistance to taxpayers in person, by telephone, fax, mail and email.
• Supervises research and the processing of refunds and transfers.
• Responds to requests for information from taxpayers, government officials, bank officers, and others on an as-needed basis. Acts as the informational contact person for questions regarding various departmental operations, policies, and programs. Assists customers and constituents by answering questions and addressing concerns. Interacts with taxpayers needing special or additional attention.
• Responsible for all accounts Receivable Reconciliation. Verifies, posts and balances real estate, personal property, excise tax and water/sewer payments; verifies lock box printouts with deposits; verifies and processes check and cash receipts for deposit; processes daily proof sheets for verification with Auditor’s totals.
• Reconciles accounts for all receipts and disbursements; reconciles monthly-cash, receivables, and trust funds.
• Initiates and completes Tax Title process, including identifying properties, sending letters, advertisements and maintaining Tax Title Files.
• Researches and resolves issues and explains the department’s policies, procedures, rules, and regulations. Must possess ability to draw conclusions following such research. Refers questions to supervisor as appropriate.
• Works with mortgage companies and tax servicing companies to resolve taxpayer issues.
• Coordinates with Deputy Collectors on excise tax billings and other projects.
• Assists with fiscal year end and other audits. Maintains commitments for auditors. Maintains paperwork for Assessor and Water department’s abatements and exceptions.
• Coordinates with Assessing Department, Information Technology and city’s vendors to proof and mail tax bills that are accurate and timely.
• Works with city departments in collaboration with online payment vendor City Hall Systems to further online collections of city departments.
• Responds to questions from the general public and other city departments pertaining to delinquent and unpaid accounts and collection actions.
• Performs general administrative duties; opens and distributes mail.
• Responsible for Excel applications of all collection accounts.
• Files proof of claims for bankruptcies.
• Pays federal and state withholding tax payments.
• PILOT billing and tracking.
• Assists new condo owners with tax bills
• Perform special projects as assigned by the Treasurer/Collector and/or Deputy Treasurer
• Performs other position related duties as assigned, required, directed or as situation dictates.
• Ability to be bonded.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, public administration or substantially similar, and five (5) years’ experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Additional directly related experience may be substituted for education.

Special Requirements

Must be able to be bonded.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Knowledge of various types of office practices and procedures, accounting and bookkeeping principles. Knowledge of municipal tax and collection laws, procedures, and techniques. Familiarity with computerized cash and collection systems. Knowledge of Excel, Word and Office Suite. Knowledge of cash handling, cash controls and accounting and finance principles and specific knowledge of the legal controls, methods and procedures of municipal finance. Working knowledge of computer applications for financial management. Basic knowledge of the organization, operations and procedures of municipal government. Complete working knowledge of office administration, financial record keeping and automated office systems. Munis proficiency is preferred.

Abilities: Ability to work with the public effectively. Ability to work independently and make decisions; to communicate effectively verbally and in writing; interact appropriately and tactfully with the public and other city departments; to resolve difficult customer service issues; to analyze and interpret financial data and to present findings clearly in written and oral form; to maintain detailed and extensive records and prepare reports; to work effectively under time constraints to meet deadlines.

Skill: Skill in receivable reconciliation, accuracy. Analytical and mathematical skills, organizational skills, interpersonal skills and general office skills. Diplomacy skills needed.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours in response to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments. Employee has access to confidential information, including personnel files, bid documents, lawsuits, and information about citizens. Errors in filing reports or transferring and applying funds would result in monetary loos and legal repercussions to the City.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills

Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment and computer paper (up to 30lbs.)

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours:  Full-Time
Salary: $110,000.00 annualized, plus benefits
Union:  Non-Union
FLSA:  Exempt
Date Posted:  April 18, 2025

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The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. U nion positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union.
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.

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